Electric-railroad switch.



No. 65l,27l. 'Patented June 5,1900. T. ,A. RHODES, m. ELECTRIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

(Application filed. Feb. 8,1900.)

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(Applicatiofl filed Feb. 3, 1900.)

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THOMAS A. RHODES, Ja OF LANGDON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

ELECTRIC-RAILROAD SWITCH.

$PEO1FICATION forming part of Letters Patent 651,271, dated June 5, 1906. Application filed February 3, 1900. Serial No. 8,829. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. RHODES, Jr., residing at Langdon, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Railroad Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an automatic electric-railroad switch and it belongs to that class of switches in which an electric car approaching a turnout-switch takes current from the main supply-conductors and by a shunt-circuit actuates an electricallyoperated motor mechanism, which turns the switch-tongues of the track ahead of it to switch off the car and after reaching a certain point sends a shunt-current back again to restore the rail-tongues to their former position to open the track for straight travel.

My invention is particularly applicable to the underground electric system; and it conapparatus and the combination of circuits, whereby the desired result is obtained in a simple, certain, and practical manner, as will be hereinafter more fully described with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of a straight track with a turnout and switch. Fig. 2 is a side view of the main conductors and plow with the shunt-circuit terminal 0 Fig 2 is a cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the near side of the plow, and Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the opposite side. Fig. 5 is a diagram view of the shuntecircuit terminal at both the point X for setting the switch and the point Y for restoring the switch, both shown in relation to the operating devices between them. Fig.

6 is a plan view of the motor mechanism for operating the switch-tongues, which motor mechanism is located in a suitable pit beneath the track-rails. Fig. 7 is a side view of the tripping mechanism for the mechanically-operated electric switch which starts and stops the motor. Fig. 8 is a View taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7 looking in the direction a turnout. ment of the'switch-tongues T T T to the position shown, which continues the rails and slot on to the turnout. The object of my invention is to cause the car at a point X before reaching the switch to shunt a part of its current to an electrically operated motor which mechanically shifts the switch-tongues to this position, and then after passing onto the turnout or other track to a point Y to again shunt the current back to restore the switch for the straight or main travel. For this purpose I take 0% a shunt-circuit, as follows: At a suitable point X one of the main conductors O is cutaway, (see Fig. 2,) and an insulated bar 0 is put in its place at the cutaway portion. The plow P, Figs. 3 and 4., is formed with one broad contact 19 on one side,

that bears against the main conductor C, and

shunt-circuit through the contact 19 and wire a w of the plow, as follows:

Referring to the diagram, Fig. 5, w w 10 represent the three wires of the plow, of which 10 is the shunt-wire, contacting with the shunt-bar 0 the plow connect with the parts on the caras follows: The plow-contact p takes current from main conductor C and by wire to connects with 12, leading to one side of the motor that drives the car. The other side of the motor connects with wires 13 and 14. The wire 13 connects with the return-wire w of the plow through terminal contacts H and the connecting-rheostat 1'. When the lever L is thrown onto plates 1' and Z, as in normal running, the rheostat is cut out and the return current from the car-motor passes over wire 13 to plate Z, switch-lever L, plate Z, plowwirew', plow-contact p", and the other main conductor C in the conduit. When, however, a turnout or side track is approached, the motorman throws the switch-lever L over onto terminal plates on m, connecting wire 14: from This is effected by the move- The three wires w w m of the motor with the shunt-circuit wire 10 plowcontact 13 and the shunt-bar O as soon as the car reaches it. The return current from the motor then divides,part going through resist- '2 esneri main conductor C as follows: By wires 1 and p 43 it reaches electromagnet M, and passing thence to wires 2 and 3 reaches the main condoctor 0. In doing so it energizes the electromagnet M and attracts its armature c.

This armature is formed with a catch on its end, i that normally holds the arm c of a switch-bar H, the armature being held up by a spring 6 for this purpose. Whenthe arm 6 is released by the energizing of the magnet, the switchbar H flies around in the direction of the arrow from a spring, hereinafter described, and connects the two terminalso 0 by the piece S and establishes a circuit through the motor Z and moves the railroad switch tongues, the circuit being over the following path: from main conductor 0, wires 7 and 8, to .regulatorU, thence by wire 6, contact-plate 0, switch-bar H, plate 0', wires 9 and 5 through track-switch motorZ, wires 4, 10, and 3 to the other main conductor 0. The motor Z (see Fig. 0) performs its work as follows: Its armature-shaft V through a worm F turns a worm-wheel F on a shaft G, on which are three drums B B 13, having cam-flanges K J ex The camtendingaround their peripheries. flanges K act on rollers on the three switcharins E E E, which are rigidly attached to the rail-switch tongues T T T in the road-bed above and turn them to the position shown in Figs. 6 and l, which runs the car onto the side track. As the drum 13 moves a half revolution acam H on its periphery (see Figs. 7 and 8) strikes a crank H on a rock-shaft H and, rotating it against the tension of spring 6, turns the switch-bar H (to which shaft H is attached) away from the contacts 0 o, as shown in Fig. 5, cutting out the motor Z and locking and setting arm 6 behind the catch of armature e again, ready for a f orther action of the motor and movement of the railroad-switch tongues back to the position to open the main track as soon as the car passes onto the siding.

At a suitable point Y on the siding (see Fig. 5) the plow-contact 19 sends another shuntcurrent back and sets the switches to open the main line as follows: from shunt-bar G at position Y, wire 23 to magnet M, wires 2 and 3 to main conductor 0. This again energizes magnet M and, attracting armature 8, allows switch-bar II to turn to dotted position from tension of spring tagain, throwing switch-motor Z into circuit over the path 0, 7, S, U, 6, o, H, 0, 9, 5, Z, 4, 10, 3, and 0. Motor Z, Fig. 6, now turns drums B B B the other half of a revolution, and cam-flanges J throw the arms E E E in the opposite direction, restoring the rail-tongues T T T to the straight position (shown in dotted lines) to open the main track and slot-rails. When the half-revolution of the drums is nearly com plete, a cam 11*, set on drum B opposite to H strikes (see Fig. 7) the crank H and, rocking shaft H against the tension of spring it, throws the switch-bar II back to its open position, as in Fig. 5, and looking it there by the arm (2 catching against the armature-e, ready for the action of another car.

When a car is to go upon a siding, the lever L (see Fig. 5) is thrown upon the contacts m m, which operates the switch-tongue mechanism by the shunt-circuit. If the car is to keep straight on or is not desired to go upon the siding or turnout, the switch L is left upon contacts Z and Z, and the current from one main conductor 0 goes up over wire w of the plow to the car-motor and down the other wire w to the other main conductor without dividing to form a shunt-circuit, and

consequently the track-switches are not disturbed.

To secure the cams II and II adjustably on the edge of the drum B they are formed, as shown in Fig. 9, with an opening in the side and clamp-screw, whereby they may be clamped upon the flange or edge of the drum at any desired point to act sooner or later, as may be required.

For accurate adjustment of the switchtongues T and T, so that there may be no loose motion, one or both of the cam-flanges K and J, Fig. 0, are made adjustable, and for this purpose the drums are slotted transversely at 75 and a bolt or set-screw is made to fix the movable end of the flange K for more or less throw.

I11 order to avoid sparking when the circuit is made and broken through the motor, the regulator U is made to be mechanically and automatically operated by the motor to throw the current gradually on and OK, as follows:

On the shaft G, Fig. 6, is keyed a bevelgear VV which meshes with bevel-gear NV on a shaft W, which latteris (see Figs. 7 and 10) connected to the regulator arm 0 and sweeps it around the circumference of the regulator as the shaftG and drums B B B rotate. The regulator arm c has a bearin g c, which rests always on the ringb,that forms the terminal of wire 8, and another bearing 0 that sweeps over the circular series of insulated contact-blocks a. I 1 representaresistance-coil into which the blocksa are connected at dilferent points along the resistance-coil. Then the arm 0 is in the dotted position, the full-resistance coil 1 I is in circuit between ring I) and arm 0 on the one hand and the wire 6 on the other; but as the arm passes in the direction of the arrow a continually-decreasing resistance is met and a correspondingincreasing current passes until the arm 0 reaches the point 14:, and then it begins to gradually throwin the resistance again on the contacts a to a until the vertical zero-point is reached, when all the resistance is in. This makes a graduated re sistance, greatest at the time of making and breaking contacts and least during the period of operation of the motor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an automatic electric-railroad switch, the combination of the track tongues, an electric motor for adjusting them, two main underground conductors, a shunt-conductor placed adjacent to the main conductors, a plow or trolley with three contact-faces one adapted to come into bearin g with the shuntconductor, an electrically-operating mechanism foradjusting the track-motor switch and circuits connecting the same to the shuntconductors substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In an automatic electric-railroad switch, the combination of two underground conductors, one of them being cutaway and having in the cut-away portion an insulated shunt contact-bar, and a plow or trolley having one contact-face on one side and two contactfaces on the other side, one of which latter is arranged in the plane of the shunt-bar, three wires one leading from each of said contact-faces and a four-point switch with movable lever and resistance arranged in the return-path from the car-motor substantially as described.

3. In an electric-railroad switch, the combination with the rail-tongues having rigid arms E E E. projecting on the opposite side of the axis of the tongue from their points, a rotating shaft bearing drums with peripheral cam-flanges acting on said arms, an electric motor for operating said shaft and drums, and means for starting the electric motor substantially as described.

4. In an electric-railroad switch, the combination with the rail-tongues having rigid arms E E E a rotary shaft bearing drums with peripheral cam-flanges acting on said arms, an electric motor for operating said shaft and drums, a switch controlling the electric motor, a shunt-circuit with electromagnet operating said switch one way, a spring operating it the other way, and tripping-cam on one of the drums arranged to set the motor-switch substantially as described.

5. In an electric-railroad switch, the combination with a rotating drum or wheel; of a movable cam H having a recess on its side to receive the flange or edge of the drum or wheel, and a set-screw for tightening it thereupon, said cam being adjustable peripherally around the flange of the drum or wheel to en able it to act sooner or later as described.

6. In an electric-railroad-switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the trackmotor for turning the tongues; of a regulator U, motor-switch I-I, armature-catch e, tripping-magnet M, rock-shaft H, attached to the motor-switch and having crank-arm H and spring for moving it in one direction, and a tripping device attached to the motor mechanism and acting upon said crank and motorswitch substantially as described.

7. The combination with the two main conductors, a third shunt-conductor beside the same, and a railroadswitch-operating mechanism, of a three-Wire plow or trolley, having in one wire two terminal contacts connected by a resistance, and having in another wire two terminal contacts, a lever adapted to be swung to bridge either pair of contacts alternately, the two latter wires leading to the same pole of the car-motor, and the third wire of the plow to the other pole of the motor substantially as described.

8. In an electric-railroad switch, the combination with a switch-tongue mechanism, and an electric motor for operating it; of an electric switch controlling the motor, and a regulator therefor having an arm rotated by the motor mechanism, said regulator having its contact-points and resistances arranged to start the motor with the greatest resistance in, and then to gradually diminish the resistance till near the end of the movement, and then before breaking the current to gradually throw in the resistance again substantially as described.

THOMAS A. RHODES, JR. Witnesses:

ANNA E. LANGEY, SoLoN C. KEMON. 

